The St. Louis Cardinals hit the road on Monday, August 17, 2026, traveling to Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati for a 6:40 PM ET first pitch against the Reds. Cincinnati sends young right-hander Rhett Lowder to the mound, while St. Louis has yet to announce a starter. It's a regular-season matchup with NL Central implications, and the Cardinals will need to piece together their pitching picture fast with game time approaching. Catch it on Cardinals.TV Presented by bet365 or on KMOX 1120 AM/104.1 FM.

Cardinals at Reds Game Preview: Monday, August 17, 2026

Pitching Matchup

The biggest story heading into this one is the Cardinals' unnamed starter. An unannounced arm going up against a full Reds lineup is not ideal preparation, and the Cardinals' dugout will need to manage whatever they throw out there carefully from the first inning on. Manager or not, the bullpen better be ready early.

On the Cincinnati side, Rhett Lowder gets the ball. The young Reds starter has been part of Cincinnati's effort to build from within, and Great American Ball Park's cozy dimensions make him a pitcher worth respecting regardless of what the stat line shows on any given night. Without confirmed ERA or win-loss numbers available for this matchup, what we know is that the Reds trust him enough to hand him the ball in a meaningful regular-season game — and that's reason enough for the Cardinals' lineup to take him seriously.

Cardinals Lineup to Watch

• JJ Wetherholt (2B, leadoff) — The rookie gets the top spot and will set the tone early. How he handles Lowder's stuff out of the gate matters.
• Iván Herrera (C, No. 2) — Hitting second is a statement of confidence. Herrera's ability to work counts will be key against a starter the Cardinals may not have extensive recent tape on.
• Alec Burleson (1B, No. 3) — Burleson in the three-hole gives St. Louis a run-producing threat in the heart of the order who can do damage in Great American Ball Park's hitter-friendly environment.
• Jordan Walker (DH, cleanup) — Walker at four is where the Cardinals need production. A big night from Walker could define this game.
• Joshua Báez (RF, No. 5) — Báez rounds out what is a young but intriguing Cardinals lineup in the middle of the order.

Reds Lineup to Watch

Cincinnati counters with Elly De La Cruz leading off at DH — a dynamic presence who can change a game with his legs and his bat. Eugenio Suárez bats cleanup at third base, providing the Reds with their most established power threat. The Cardinals' mystery starter will have to navigate De La Cruz at the top and Suárez in the middle, which is no small ask. Matt McLain slots in at shortstop and bats sixth, giving Cincinnati depth throughout the lineup rather than a cliff after the top four.

Keys to the Game

• Identify the Cardinals' starter: Until St. Louis names someone, the biggest variable in this game is on their own side. Whoever takes the ball needs to keep the Reds off the bases early and make De La Cruz work for anything he gets.
• Jordan Walker delivers in the cleanup spot: If Walker can put together a multi-hit game or drive in runs, St. Louis has a path to a win. His at-bats against Lowder will be the offensive story to follow.
• Limit the running game: With De La Cruz on base, the Cardinals' battery — particularly Herrera behind the plate — will need to be sharp controlling the run game. De La Cruz on the bases creates chaos.
• Great American Ball Park cuts both ways: The Cardinals can hit home runs here just as easily as the Reds can. If St. Louis can stay out of big innings, the park becomes an equalizer.

Prediction

This game hinges almost entirely on who the Cardinals send to the mound. A quality start gives St. Louis a real shot — Burleson, Walker, and Wetherholt in this lineup are capable of generating enough offense against Lowder to win a close game. But a shaky or unplanned pitching situation against a Reds lineup that features De La Cruz and Suárez at the top and in the cleanup spot is a recipe for a tough night on the road. Give the edge to Cincinnati at home with a named starter and a lineup built to exploit pitching uncertainty. Cardinals 4, Reds 6.